Sep 7, 20223 min read

Poland

All children aged 7 to 18 living in Poland, including foreigners, have the right to free education in public schools.

State system of school education

Most children in Poland attend public or public schools. All children aged 7 to 18 living in Poland, including foreigners, have the right to free education in public schools. Currently, the education system in Poland is in a state of transition in accordance with changes made to the structure in 1999 and 2017, which must be fully implemented by 2023. The most notable change is the disappearance of gymnasium, or junior high school, and the increase of primary education from seven to eight years. In addition, Polish students will now spend an extra year at a lyceum or secondary vocational school before taking the MATURA, the Polish equivalent of the French baccalaureate or English A-levels – the secondary education diploma that qualifies them to apply to university or higher education .

Information for Ukrainians 2022

Polish schools will accept all children between the ages of 7 and 18 who must complete compulsory education. Children can be enrolled in the school for the entire school term, and the class they will attend will be calculated based on the total number of years they have attended school outside of Poland. It will be calculated either on the basis of documents issued by Ukrainian schools, or on the basis of the declaration of the child's parents. Such documents do not need to be translated into Polish. List

You can find the documents below. The right to access to school education (or, more precisely, to compulsory education) is not linked to the legality of residence. https://ukraina.interwencjaprawna.pl/how-can-an-ukrainian-child-be-enrolled-into-a-polish-school/

How to choose a school?

To enroll a child in school, you must first select a specific school. The list of schools is available in the register of schools and educational institutions. The public school in the region where the foreign child lives accepts them automatically, and other schools, elementary and other, accept them if there is room for them.

List of documents

You must submit an application for your child's admission to the school you have chosen. Attach documents confirming the child's attendance at school in Ukraine to the application for admission of the child to school. There is no need to translate these documents into Polish. Submit all documents to the principal of the chosen school. If you do not have documents confirming the child's education, write a statement about the total years of education of the child in a school in Ukraine and indicate the school/schools in which your child studied.

Features of private schools

The number of private or non-state schools is growing in Poland. These schools are partially funded by the state, but mostly by parents and third-party organizations. There are private primary, senior and secondary schools in Poland. Many of them are international schools taught in English. Private schools in Poland vary in cost. Depending on many factors, annual tuition can range from $10,000 to $60,000.

Language of instruction, availability of integration classes

Polish, the availability of integration classes depends on the school

Visa, visa issues

In connection with Russia's military aggression against Ukraine, the governments of the EU, Georgia, Canada and the USA provide Ukrainians with war protection programs. Ukrainians seeking refuge from the war on the territory of these countries will receive residence and employment permits, and their children will be given the opportunity to continue their education in local schools.

If you intend to go to Poland not under the war protection program, then for study you need a National visa (type D) list of documents: https://www.gov.pl/web/ukraina-uk/visa-type-D

Important links

Poland

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